MARCH/APRIL
2021
Image by Megan Martinelli
FACULTY OF Julie Nagle
March Faculty of the Month Department of Art 1. How long have you taught in the university’s Department of Art? I was hired as an Assistant Professor of Sculpture in September 2017. 2. How does it feel to be “Faculty of the Month?” It’s a wonderful, rewarding surprise to be nominated Faculty of the Month! I am grateful and feel appreciated by the community in the Art Department. 3. You consider yourself an “unarcheologist.” Tell us about this. The term unarchaeologist comes from a studio visit I had with an old friend. I love how it playfully references my passion for the scientific subjects which inspire much of my work. I am not a scientist, but get to play the role of one in my studio as I conduct my own form of field work to gather materials, learn new skills, and research for new projects.
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I am not a scientist, but get to play the role of one in my studio as I conduct my own form of field work to gather materials, learn new skills, and research for new projects. - Julie Nagle
Slumber Underground: an Interspecies Burrow, 2018 Steel, rattan, fabric, zip ties, video, books, bird nests, wasp nest, and found objects 7’ x 8’ x 5’
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THE MONTH David Kerzner
April Faculty of the Month Department of Music 1. How long have you taught at William Paterson University? I’ve taught at the university for 21 years. 2. What do you enjoy about teaching in the Department of Music? Teaching in the Music Department is simply an extension of my life as a musician. I’ve played music since the age of 6 and have been involved in technology and audio recording since I was 15. Being immersed in a musical environment, surrounded by remarkably talented students and faculty is stimulating, inspiring and at the same time quite comforting. 3. You’ve been a professional audio engineer for over twenty years. How has the industry changed over the years and what advice would you offer to students interested in pursuing this career path? There have been two overarching changes to the professional audio production world over the past few decades. One being the evolution of inexpensive audio equipment that has placed enormous creative potential in the hands of nearly everyone. The other is the devaluing of music as a revenue stream. While this has led to the demise of the large recording studio, it has and continues to create new opportunities for audio professionals. These new careers are in areas such as streaming services, mobile device audio, computer-based software development, car audio, podcasting, game audio, virtual reality (also referred to as “immersive audio”), and the like.
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Being immersed in a musical environment, surrounded by remarkably talented students and faculty is stimulating, inspiring and at the same time quite comforting. - David Kerzner
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ADJUNCTS OF Kurt Siegelin
March Adjunct of the Month Department of Communication 1. How does it feel to be “Adjunct of the Month?” It’s a distinct honor. There are many great professors at William Paterson, who deserve the recognition, so this is a wonderful acknowledgement of the impact I hope I’ve had on students. 2. What do you enjoy about teaching in the Department of Communication? A lot! I think in the end, though, it comes back to trying to shepherd students from one part of their life to the next - to fully prepare them for a field of study they are passionate about and then try to help them land where they want to be. The teaching is part of it, but so is mentoring. These students have dreams and goals. Those are powerful motivators and if you can play a small role in helping them stay on the path or give them a push, it’s very rewarding. 3. You’re an Emmy Award winning news anchor at News 12 NJ. What peaked your interest to pursue a career in Broadcast Journalism? I have vivid memories of my parents watching the local tv news when I was a kid. I watched with them because I knew sports was coming up. I was/am a huge sports fan! As a kid, that really was my world. I’d watch the sportscast and at some point (maybe I was 9 or 10) I thought to myself, “How does that guy get paid to talk sports?” So that was it. I was on a path and determined. I’ve been very fortunate. Covering sports in New Jersey has allowed me to report at three Super Bowls, several Stanley Cups, NBA finals, World Series and plenty of other major events.
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F THE MONTH Seth Bechtold
April Adjunct of the Month Department of Art 1. How does it feel to be “Adjunct of the Month?” It’s definitely an honor. Thank you for the opportunity especially during these times, everyone has been working so hard to keep up with an ever-changing playing field, while maintaining our commitment to our students and our passions for teaching and art. It’s an uplifting gesture to be noticed amidst all the chaos created in the wake of COVID. 2. You graduated with an MFA degree from William Paterson University and now teach Photography at the university. This is a full circle experience. How does it feel to teach at your alma mater? Teaching at the university level has been a long-awaited dream of mine. It’s a way to pay it forward while remaining in constant conversation with developing young artists. While working on my MFA, I developed an understanding of what made WP unique. This has given me great insight into how I approach teaching and I use my experience as a student to shape my curriculum to be engaging and efficient. 3. What advice would you give to students pursuing an Art degree? My advice to anyone pursuing art is simple - push yourself in every direction. Being in school gives you a kind of freedom that becomes much more difficult after graduation. We have such amazing facilities, and I would encourage students to take full advantage while you can. College should be a place for you to explore yourself and your interests, and hopefully expand them going forward.
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My advice to anyone pursuing art is simple - push yourself in every direction. - Seth Bechtold
Image by Seth Bechtold
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ALUMNI OF Caroline Sanchez
March Alumni of the Month Department of Music 1. When did you graduate and what was your major? I graduated in 2013 and majored in Music, specifically Sound Engineering Arts. I also completed the Performance and Literary Arts track through the Honors College and minored in Creative Writing. 2. How does it feel to be “Alumni of the Month?” A combination of nostalgic and surreal. Being asked to do an alumni interview implies some time has passed since graduation, which is a moment of reflection that would give anyone pause. Thanks for having me! 3. Tell us about your work with the NBA Bubble. In many ways, the NBA Bubble was a once-in-a-career experience. It was the first job to come through after lockdown hit last year, so the combination of logistics, protocols, and general unknowns made for an anxious time. Then there was the actual ‘job’ – to provide audience sounds to be played for both the arenas and broadcast, which is a task that none of us had been asked to do before. Prior to COVID, our jobs involved directing audio toward audience members, so needless to say, the script had been flipped in an unexpected way. The biggest take away from the experience was a reminder that opportunities will continue to present themselves even in times of crisis and remaining open to new ideas is how to keep forward momentum, even when the world feels like it has stopped.
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The biggest take away from the experience was a reminder that opportunities will continue to present themselves even in times of crisis and remaining open to new ideas is how to keep forward momentum, even when the world feels like it has stopped. - Caroline Sanchez 6
THE MONTH Susan Ungaro
April Alumni of the Month Department of Communication 1. When did you graduate and what was your major? I majored in Communication and graduated in 1976 with dreams of working in media in New York City. 2. You’re a member of COAC’s Advisory Board. As an alumna, how does it feel to be a board member? The most satisfying part of serving on the advisory board has been seeing myself in the students that I’ve met and mentored. Some of the most inspiring opportunities I have as a board member is to occasionally attend special events and performances at the university. Watching the pride of the parents greeting their children after a performance always moves me. I believe all the members of our impressive advisory board share fond memories of their time studying at WP and embrace the mission to help give back.
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3. What are some memorable experiences that you had as a WP student? Like so many of today’s undergraduates, I was a commuter student and worked my way through WP at McDonald’s. In order to have what I considered the “college experience” without living on campus, I joined the college radio station. The opportunity to become a DJ, news and program director, and eventually join the college newspaper as a reporter, was a major turning point in my young life. These all-consuming, happy extracurricular activities gave me focus and a taste of what it could be like to pursue a career in communications. The impact of a college education is more than just academics and a résumé; it helps shape your destiny. Along with making lifelong friends, I met my husband Colin at WP.
The most satisfying part of serving on the advisory board has been seeing myself in the students that I’ve met and mentored. - Susan Ungaro
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STUDENTS OF Omarr Kaba
March Student of the Month Department of Music 1. What is your major and when will you graduate? My major is Music with Popular Music emphasis. I will be graduating in May. 2. You’re a singer/songwriter. What got you into music? I’ve had a lot of musical influences in my life from a young age. My mother introduced me to gospel and reggae (which is part of our heritage), while my sister introduced me to R&B. As a kid, I was involved in everything musical – from singing in church to playing drums for various church choirs. In high school, I was an active member of Marching Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, Chorus, Select Vocal Ensemble and I entered many school talent shows. 3. How has attending WP impacted you - musically? Attending WP has allowed me to perform multiple times on stage and make connections with other amazing singers and musicians. It has also allowed me to learn things that are essential to an artist’s growth like Theory, Piano and Ear Training.
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Attending WP has allowed me to perform multiple times on stage and make connections with other amazing singers and musicians. - Omarr Kaba
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F THE MONTH Julianne Kearns
April Student of the Month Department of Communication 1. What is your major and when will you graduate? I’m a Public Relations major with a minor in Business Administration. I plan to graduate in the Spring of 2022. 2. You’re a member of the university’s Student Public Relations Association (SPRA). Tell us about your role with the association. I currently serve as the social media chair. I’m in charge of creating social media content and promoting our events. I also manage our website and the PR Report blog, which is also on our website. 3. As a Public Relations major, what are some things that you enjoy about this field? I love that there is so much you can do in the field of Public Relations. There is no one straight path you have to follow. There’s room to find your own way as well as follow your passion(s).
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... there is so much you can do in the field of Public Relations. There is no one straight path you have to follow. - Julianne Kearns 9
A View Through My Lens: “Windows Wednesdays” By: Megan Martinelli Department of Art Student & COAC Office of the Dean Photography Intern This semester, I came up with the social media campaign, “Windows Wednesdays,” which captured snapshots through various oncampus windows. Each Wednesday, for a few weeks, an image captured through a window was posted on our College’s Instagram page. Windows are often used as a light-source as well as the main theme of some photographers. Much of my earlier work featured photographs of windows and from there, I wanted to incorporate that theme into this particular campaign.
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College of the Arts & Communication Office of the Dean: Loretta Mc Laughlin Vignier, Interim Dean Dr. Lauren Fowler-Calisto, Dean’s Fellow & Assistant to the Dean & Associate Professor, Department of Music Lavene Gass, Marketing & Community Liaison Amy Nemery, Executive Staff Assistant Rosario Urena, Administrative Staff Assistant Kaeli Brady, Intern: Graphic Designer Tekoa Criddell, Intern: Graphic Designer Megan Martinelli, Intern: Photographer John Conlow, Intern: Videographer Julianne Kearns, Intern: Social Media
Interviews & Edits by: Lavene Gass Layout Design by: Tekoa Criddell To submit news, email Lavene Gass at gassl1@wpunj.edu.
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